A security guard outside the Election Commission of Pakistan in Islamabad on September 21, 2023. Photo: AFP
PESHAWAR:
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has ordered a probe into allegations of fraud in the Haripur NA-18 by-election, accusing the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) of manipulating the results.
Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Information Shafi Jan made the allegations while addressing the media in the KP Assembly on Monday.
Shafi Jan claimed that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) achieved victory due to public support, but its mandate was “stolen from inside the returning officer’s (RO) office.” He claimed that all Form 45 documents were in possession of the PTI and reflected a lead of 32,000 to 35,000 votes in Haripur.
“The results were altered in Form 47 inside the RO office. At the last moment, the RO was replaced, PTI workers were forced to leave the office and the office was virtually taken over,” he claimed.
He further announced that the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister had ordered a thorough investigation into the alleged irregularities. “From class IV employees to deputy commissioner, every individual who played a role will be investigated. The district administration fulfilled its responsibility right from the polling stations to the RO office, but the manipulation took place in the ECP area,” he said.
Responding to the allegations made by PML-N leader Ikhtiyar Wali, Shafi Jan said the chief minister would issue a defamation notice.
